M1 Carbine jamming

I have an older M1 carbine that is in great shape but I can't go more than 5 rounds and the round hits the barrel and stops. Kinda like a stove pipe but not all the way out. I have replaced all the springs in the gun with a Wolff kit. It seems like the magazine is really loose in the well. The mag release is ok and doesn't appear to be worn out. I have tried about 20 different magazines and the problem is still the same. If I hold the magazine in the well tight, it works fine. Is that the problem? I was thinking that if I was to solder a shim of some kind on a magazine to take up the space in the mag well instead of holding the magazine up in there, that would fix the problem. Has anyone else had a problem with M1's jamming? I have even tried about
15 different kinds of ammo too. I'm at my wits end with this gun.:banghead:

Here's what I'd try.
1. Replace the magazine catch and it's spring AND plungers.
Check the fit between the catch and the trigger guard.

2. Check the mags to insure the springs are oriented properly. I once had a customer with a carbine that failed to feed. He had bought 5 new mags, which the previous owner had taken apart to clean, and put back together with ALL springs turned backward.

3. Buy a carbine piston nut wrench and a GI manual. Properly disassemble the gas piston assembly and clean and inspect it, and the gas hole in the barrel. Make sure the gas hole isn't enlarged, or fouled. Clean the carbon off the piston, the gas cylinder, and the piston nut. USE NO abrasives or steel cleaning tools. A "Lead-Away" cloth works well.

4. Inspect the trigger group and the attaching legs and lug on the receiver to determine if the trigger guard is too loose.
If the guard is REALLY loose, you can LIGHTLY peen the trigger guard to tighten the fit. DO NOT PEEN THE RECEIVER. Carbine receivers are hard, and WILL crack, chip, or break.
If the guard is a different manufacturer than the receiver, the fit could be off.

6. Inspect the bolt, operating rod, and the op rod mounting grooves in the barrel for anything that could be impeding the operation of the op rod and bolt during recoil.

Besides looking for bad feed system, look for anything that could be causing "short stroking".

If this is a GI carbine, it's close to 60 years old, and has been through who knows how many hands. God knows what may have been done to it. Trust NOTHING to be in proper adjustment or fit.

M1Mike

September 20, 2008, 02:51 PM

I bought a surplus rifle many years ago and it has never functioned correctly. The fifle jams every two to three rounds. Sometimes the ammo misfeeds from the magazine, the round is actually pointing toward the bottom of the rifle with the bullet end still in the mag and primer end out of the mag. When it does function "correctly" I sometimes get a click instead of a fired round. The bolt appears to be closed all the way but is not. This is one of those carbines pieced together by someone...Rock-Ola barrel, Inland receiver etc...
I have purchased new magazines and same problem, tried different ammo, same problem. I am thinking that I should replace all springs, any suggestions from someone with better carbine knowledge than I????